Newbie: Crank sensor install.

[3banger]

I'm researching how I'd go MS with a 800cc Mitsubishi 3cyl carbed 3g83 engine.

I've searched "crank trigger" "crank angle" "crank whore".... My eyes are bleeding from reading. This is my first post because I'm not very good at finding info in here yet I guess.

My question. How/where should I install a crank sensor and what is the best style? Can I do something on the flywheel? What do people usually do when they have an engines that don't have one and don't have later variations that did?

I'd like to control fuel and ignition.

If you guys are tired of answering this question, would you please throw me a bone and send me a link to where I can get my eyes bleeding again ASAP?

frustrated...

[trakkies]

You can buy aftermarket trigger wheels and sensors in a variety of sizes etc. The most usual place to fit an aftermarket one is to the crank pulley. Common engines will often have a kit which just bolts on. If yours doesn't, you'd have to adapt a universal one. Obviously, this takes some skill, as the wheel must be concentric - the air gap between wheel and sensor is approx 1mm. Most common type of sensor is a VR (variable reluctance) type, but a hall effect one will also work. MegaSquirt can use either. Again you'll likely have to fabricate or adapt a mounting for it.

You don't say which country you live in. In the UK, there's a company called Trigger Wheels which would be a good start. Most MS retailers also should be able to help. But Google trigger wheel.

[Matt Cramer]

Another important question - what crank or cam sensors do you already have? There's a chance you may be able to use what you've got.

[3banger]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

I'm in Vancouver, BC. I don't have anything other than an electronic distrib. that I thought I could use as a signal... but I guess the mechanical advance is a problem?

Thanks for mentioning the VR sensor. I've been reading and reading trying to figure out what is the "easiest" or most common choice.

What really sucks is there's NOBODY that's done a squirt install on a 3g83 engine. I better get out the machete because I guess it's time to blaze another trail. Some lucky problem is going to reap the rewards from this someday I hope.

Thanks for the trigger wheel comment! I'm starting to get some great results with my searching now.

like this one! http://www.planetcampbell.us/TriggerWhe ... lation.htm

[trakkies]

You can lock up the advance mechanism and use the dizzy trigger - even points. But there is always some backlash in a dizzy drive, and most just give a single pulse per ignition event. A trigger wheel usually has many more teeth which give the engine position at times other than just when firing, as it were.